Battery terminal guard

ABSTRACT

A protective device for preventing the corrosion or sulfation of a cable connector on the battery terminal includes a flexible casing that fits snugly around the connector and the base of the terminal and an upper opening forming the seat for a rigid, circular top cover element that gives the casing an air tight seal when installed in the casing.

United States Patent 1191 Robin ]Ma rch 20, 1973 BATTERY TERMINAL GUARD[76] Inventor: Edward L. Robin, 115 Glacier Circle, Vacaville, Calif.95688 4 [22] Filed: July 13, 1972 [21] Appl. N0.: 271,632

[52] US. Cl. ..339/116 R [51] Int. Cl. ..HOlr ll/26 [58] Field ofSearch....339/36, 63, 94, 116, 117, 118;

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,413,593 11/1968 Schaefer..339/116 c Ericson ..339/63 R 3,641,480 2/1972 Robin ..339/116 R1,722,203 7/1929 Day ..136/163 X 2,800,310 7/1957 Snyder ..220/24 R XPrimary ExaminerRichard E. Moore AttorneyRoger W. Erickson [5 7]ABSTRACT A protective device for preventing the corrosion or sulfationof a cable connector on the battery terminal includes a flexible casingthat fits snugly around the connector and the base of the terminal andan upper opening forming the seat for a rigid, circular top coverelement that gives the casing an air tight seal when installed in thecasing.

5 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures 1 BATTERY TERMINAL GUARD BACKGROUND OF THEINVENTION This invention relates to corrosion protective or preventingdevices for electrical connections.

Wet cell batteries such as the conventional lead sulphate type batteriesused in automobiles, boats and other vehicles have long presented aserious problem of corrosion or sulphation at the terminals. Generally,the problem arises due to the constant evaporation of the batteryelectrolyte through its air vents. When this vapor contacts metal partsas on the battery terminal and its attached connector, a white powderycorrosion is formed. Ultimately, this corrosion can seriously damage thebattery terminals and connectors which will cause malfunction that canshorten the battery life, destroy its effectiveness or even createhazards to safe vehicle operation. In my US. Pat. No. 3,641,480 Idisclosed a battery terminal guard comprising a casing that fit aroundthe terminal and a top cover having a grease fitting which enabledgrease or some suitable anti-corrosion material to be forced inside thehousing. The grease was necessary because the top cover did not providean air-tight closure, but it had certain disadvantages. In general, theunavailability of a proper anticorrosion material, the inconvenience ofhandling it and the fact that it made the terminal messy and difficultto handle, all contributed to the need to improve my prior device.

A general object of the present invention is to provide a solution tothe problem of battery terminal-con- 2 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGSIn the drawings:

FIG. 1 is an exploded view in perspective showing a protective deviceembodying the principles of my invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary view in perspective showing the device of FIGalassembled around the cable con-' nector and installed on the batteryterminalwith por- DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF ONE EMBODIMENT Referring tothe drawings, FIG. 1 shows a protective device 10 embodying theprinciples of my invention ,as it appears during its installation on aconventional connector attached to the end of a battery cable. Theconnector corrosion that eliminates the necessity to use a non-corrosivematerial around the terminal.

More specifically, an object of the present invention is to provide adevice that will surround the cable connector when it is on the batteryterminal; that will provide essentially an air-tight seal around thebase of the terminal post and yet will enable the device to be easilyinstalled on the end of a battery cable and connector, and subsequentlyon the battery-terminal.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a protectivedevice for cable connectors on battery terminals that can be readilyadapted to various forms or shapes of cable connectors and that isparticularly well adapted for ease and economy of manufacture.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In my invention, the aforesaid objects areaccomplished by a guard or sealing element in the forming of a casingthat is made of some suitable flexible and nonconductive material andshaped to fit around the cable connector. A bottom wall in this sealingelement fits snugly around the base of the battery terminal post and theupper side of the element has a removable cover. The latter cover isprovided with a tapered edge so that when the protective device isinstalled this edge fits within a complementary groove in the top wallof the casing and essentially forms an air-tight closure. Thus, thedevice surrounds the cable connector, keeps air out and provides aneffective corrosion barrier.

Other objects, advantages and features of the invention will becomeapparent from the following detailed description of one embodimentthereof presented with the accompany drawings.

nector 12 shown is the well known two bolt solderless.

split-block form of replacement connector having a pair of jaws 14forming an opening 16 that fits around a standard terminal 18 of a wetcell battery 20. A machine bolt 22 extends through the ends of the jawsand a nut 24 on this bolt is tightened to draw the jaws together whenthey are on a terminaL'At its other end the jaws join together at a neckportion 26 forming a flange that bears againstone side of a cable 28. Aplate 30 havinga similar shape to flange fits against the other.

techniques. Preferably a synthetic rubber material is 7 used which isimpervious to attack by sulphate "compounds. As shown in FIGS. 3 6, thiscasing is formed 7 with a shape generally similar to the cable connector12 so that it will fit around without any large air spaces.

Thus, the casing 34 is substantially oblong and is tapered atone endthrough which the cable enters. For other types of connectors used onbattery cables, the casing may have a different shape but for theconnector 12 the casing 34 is particularly well adapted to provide goodprotective results. The main function of thecasing is that it may beeasily attached to the connector 12 on the cable 28 and fit snuglyaround it when installed. Extending from an end wall at the tapered endof the casing is a tubular sleeve portion 36 that will fit tightlyaround and form a seal with the battery cable adjacent the attachedconnector. On a bottom wall 38 of the easing is a circular opening 40that is dimensioned to fit tightly around the base of the batteryterminal 18 which normally has a slight taper. An upper wall 42 of theeasing has a somewhat larger opening 44 which is circular in shape andbig enough to enable the casing to be easily installed on the connector.Around the edge of this opening 44 the upper wall has a circular portion46 of increased thickness with an annular groove 48 for holding a covermember 50. This cover is also circular, in shape and is preferably madeof a rigid, clear plastic shaped edge fits tightly within the groove 48when the cover is in place. Fixed to the top of the cover member .is aprojecting portion 54 that provides a handle means for gripping itfirmly. This handle means may be of the same material as the coveritself and is preferably circular in shape.

When my protective device is installed the flexible casing 34 is firstplaced on the battery cable 28 so that it surrounds and conformsto theconnector 12 and the sleeve portion 36 fits around the cable. This isaccomplished by forcing the connector through the open-v ing 44. Theconnectorand attached casing are now placed over the battery terminal 18and the connector jaws 14 can be tightened,if necessary. Now, thecircular cover member 50 is placed within the casing 34 so thatit'covers the connector and the battery terminal.

8 As shown in FIG. 6, the bottom casing wall 38 forms a protectivebarrier between the connector and the battery and the opening 40 fitsaround the terminal so that even corrosive vapor cannot easily passthrough it. Around the opening 40 on the bottom casing wall 38 is anannular raised portion 56 that serves to keep most of the bottom wallfrom contacting the battery surface. With the cover member 50 properlyin place the device 10 is fully sealed around the battery terminal, theconnector cable and at the top of the casing around the cover member 50,thereby forming an air-tight enclosure that prevents corrosive elementsfrom attacking the connector and terminal.

lf cover member 50 is made of a transparent plastic material a visualcheck can be periodically made to determine if any corrosion has takenplace. It should,

or other anti-corrosive materials. In addition to prolonging'batterylife, it increases automobile safety by insulating battery terminalsfrom accidental contacts with metal objects and by reducing-automotivefire hazards heretofore caused by faulty battery connectors.

To those skilled in the art to which this invention relates, manychanges in construction and widely differing embodiments andapplications of the invention will suggest themselves without departingfrom. the spirit and scope of the invention. The disclosures and thedescription herein are purely illustrative and are not intended to be inany sense limiting.

I claim:

1. A protective device for a battery cable. connector on a battery cableand adapted to connect with a terminal post of a wet cell battery,comprising: j

a hollow casing of flexible material including integral portions formingsidewalls and a bottom wall at-- tached thereto, said bottom wall havinganopening of a shape and dimensioned to closelyfit a base of the batteryterminal, a sleeve member extending from one sidewall adapted to fittightly around the battery cable and an upper wall means having acircular opening larger than said bottom wall opening with a groovearound the pierp'heral edge of said opening; and a relatively rigiddisk-likei covermemberis a rigid,clear plastic material and inf cludesan upwardly projecting portion formingia handle.

3'. The device as described in claim 1 wherein said casing has agenerally oblong shape with a tapered end portion particularly adaptedto fit snugly around a two bolt solderless split-block type cableconnector.

4. Thedevice as described in claim 1 whereinsaid casing is formed as oneintegral body from a synthetic rubber material.

5. The device as described'in claim 1 'whereinsaid groove has a V-shapedcross-section and said peripheral edge portion of said coyer has amatching wedge-shaped cross-section.

* l l l

1. A protective device for a battery cable connector on a battery cableand adapted to connect with a terminal post of a wet cell battery,comprising: a hollow casing of flexible material including integralportions forming sidewalls and a bottom wall attached thereto, saidbottom wall having an opening of a shape and dimensioned to closely fita base of the battery terminal, a sleeve member extending from onesidewall adapted to fit tightly around the battery cable and an upperwall means having a circular opening larger than said bottom wallopening with a groove around the pierpheral edge of said opening; and arelatively rigid disklike cover member retained by said upper wall meanshaving a peripheral edge portion shaped to fit within said groove toform a substantially air-tight closure, portions of the material of saidcasing which form said groove being positioned to be deformed uponinsertion and/or removal of said cover member.
 2. The device asdescribed in claim 1 wherein said cover member is a rigid, clear plasticmaterial and includes an upwardly projecting portion forming a handle.3. The device as described in claim 1 wherein said casing has agenerally oblong shape with a tapered end portion particularly adaptedto fit snugly around a two bolt solderless split-block type cableconnector.
 4. The device as described in claim 1 wherein said casing isformed as one integral body from a synthetic rubber material.
 5. Thedevice as described in claim 1 wherein said groove has a V-shapedcross-section and said peripheral edge portion of said cover has amatching wedge-shaped cross-section.